Pintle structure



Aug. 2, 1949. s. JEFFREY 2,477,877

PINTLE STRUCTURE Filed ma 5, 1947 INVENTOR. 575 v5 QJ-EFFJQE' Y Patented Aug. 2, 1949- UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE PI' NTLE STRUCTURE Steve Jeffrey, Oakland, can. Application May 1947, Serial No. 746,148

This invention relates to piiitlbs by means or which elements may be eohnectedetogether i'n hinged or similarly mova e relationship.

An objectof the invention is to provide a pintleparticularly adapted for connection with or disconnection from rel-atively'spaced lug elements having'confr'onting' bottomed or blind holes for the reception of end portions of the pin-'tle.

Another object or the invention is to provide. in combination with relatively spaced lugs having coaxial pintle-receiving recesses, a pintle jproportioned to extending fully between the lugs, so as to reduce to an imperceptible minimum axial end play of the pintl e between the lugs; and having end studs engageable the recesseswhich may be only 'micrometrialfy smaller in site than the recesses so that an imperceptible minimum of radial play of the pintl'e relative to the lugs may exist, both of which features contribute tosecurity of the pintl'e against detachment from one or the other of the elements connected by the pintle. H I t A further object or the inventionis to providein a pintle structure; comprising a tubular body portion having at the opposite ends thereof retractible spring-pressed connection studs, axially spaced bearing surfaces of each stud on the tubular body portion which are sufilciently far apart so that relative transaxlal bendingmoments" imposed betweenthe studs and body during use may be readily borne without danger of bending or collapsing the comparativelyli'ght tubular body.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an axially ext'e'ndibl'epintl'e structure characterized by an absence of parts of trail or complicated form and capable of simple andrapid assembly. v I V e The invention possesses other objects and feature of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the, following description of the preferred rorm 'of'the': invention which is illustrated in the drawings accompanyin and forming part of the specification. It is to be understood, however, that variations in the showing made by the said drawings and description may be adopted within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims. 7

Referring to thed-rawing:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a. wrist watch and portions of its wrist band showing the pintle' of my invention used to connect the band to the watch. Portions of the view arebroken away and shown in section so a to more clearly disclose the connection relationshipoi theparts.

4 Claims. (01. 24 265) Figure 2 is an enlarged view of the pintle partly inside elevation a'nd"partl'y in vertical section.

Figure 3 is an enlarged scale view of an end portion or the pintle, a portion of the view bein shown in vertical section for clarity of disclosure and the anchor stud beingshown in fully retracted position. I v I I have chosen to illustrate my invention, and describe one situation in which it may be used, in connection with a wrist watch therein shown as the type having relatively confronting, bottomed or blind pintle stud recesses 6 in the lugs '1 thereof between which the end loops 8' of the strap or bracelet 9 are positioned and secured to the watch. The pintle com rises a tubular body II having an overall length slightly less than the distance between the confr nting faces 12 of a pair of lugs so that the body may be inserted between them insuring that aminimum of endplay exists between the ends "of the tube andthe faces of the lugs. Retractible and extendibl studs l3 preferably concentric with the tubular body are provided at each end or the latter and are adapted for engagement in the recesses 6. Only a micrometric difference'in diameter exists between the recesses and the studs so thatthe latter may slide axially into snug engagement with the recesses and radial player the pintle relative to the lugs 1' will thus be reduced toah absolute minimum. Each Stud ['3' is preferabl formed integrally with a cylindrical body portion l4 axially slidable within the bore lb of the tubular body I I and is. provided, intermediate its extreme'end t1 and the transaxial shoulder l8 defining the junction of the stud and the body, with a pair of circumferential grooves l8 and 2| respectively. The latter groove, located closely adjacent the shoulder I8 is comparatively narrow but the former groove having at least one transaxial shoulder 22 adjacent the end [1 hasjr'nuch greater width and extends along the body It for a distance at least equal to the axial extension of the stud 13 beyond the body. A coiled and compressively' stressed spring 23 occupies the bore l6 of the pintle and is interposed between the ends I! of the stud body portions I4 so as to forcibly and yieldably retain the studs ex tended positions relative to the tubular body H.

Means, which may comprise an annular head 2% extending into the groove 19 from the inner wall surface of the tube II and formed by the process of rolling or otherwise forming a peripheral groove 26 in the outer surface of the tube, is provided for limiting extension of the stud and itsbody portion outwardly beyond a point whereat the shoulder l8 coincides with the end of the tube ll. However, the arrangement is such that the body portion may be moved axially into the tube a distance at least equivalent to the axial length of the stud I3. The retaining bead 24 was chosen for illustration merely as an exemplary form, it being obviou that equivalent means such as center-punched protuberances or tabs sheared inwardly from the wall of the tube, can be employed instead of the bead without departing from the spirit of the invention. It will be seen that the provision of the groove IS in the stud body portion l4 create separate relatively spaced peripheral portions at opposite ends of the latter which have comparatively small surface engagement With the inner surface of the tube II. ,This reduces materially the sliding friction between the relatively movable parts besides affording sufficiently widely separated bearing points for the body portion so that angular deflection of the latter relative to the tube, when the pintle is under radial stress imposed by the bracelet 9, with a resulting possible distortion of the thin-walled tube. Notches 21, formed in and opening at the ends of the tube II, are provided traversing the grooves 2| so as to expose portions 28 thereof to provide pockets into which a pointed instrument such as a jewelers screwdriver, scriber or tweezer nib may be inserted to effect retraction of the studs 13. It will be noted that the notches 21 are disposed about ninety degrees apart circumferentially of the tube so that a notch will always be located relative to a lug I of the watch so as to permit direct access of the retracting tool without the necessity of having to rotate the pintle to bring a notch into accessible position. In case a leather strap comprises the band or bracelet 9, the flexibility of the leather will permit displacement of the loop 8 thereof sufiiciently to permit insertion of the tool in the pocket 28, while in the usual metal bands, notches are provided in the pintle engaging loops to permit insertion of the tool.

The various parts of the pintle, it will be seen, are capable of very economical manufacture, the studs and their integral body portions being readily produceable in automatic screw machines while the tubular body portion may be satisfactorily shaped from a fiat punching of sheet material which is die-pressed into cylindrical form. The operation of assembly merely entails the insertion of the stud members and the spring into the tubular body and securing them in place by the press or rolling operation of forming the peripheral grooves 26 or their equivalent retaining elements in the tube.

The pintle structure above described is capable of retaining a more secure grip on its mounting lugs 1 than are the conventional pintles of this type which are equipped with comparatively short tubes having only one spring-pressed retractible stud since the latter structure, due to the rigid stud, requires considerable clearance in the stud recess so as to allow the pintle to be inserted angularly between the lugs before the springpressed stud is seated in its recess. This excess clearance not only functions to create rapid wear in the recesses and studs but, due to the reduced diameter of the fixed stud, the latter may be weakened to such an extent that a severe tug on the watch band may bend, shear off or dislodge the stud resulting in possible droppage or unconscious loss of the watch. The pintle of my invention provides for minimum working clearance in the parts and since both studs must be accurately aligned with the recesses before engaging the latter, the studs may be made to possess the maximum diameter thereby resulting in an optimum of strength and security of the connection between the watch and its band or bracelet.

I claim:

1. In combination, a pair of relatively spaced lugs having confronting faces thereof relatively axially aligned recesses extending into said lugs, and a pintle for positioning between said lugs comprising a body element extending axially between and into substantial engagement with said lugs, reciprocable spring-pressed stud members having body portions slidable within said body element, said stud members being extended beyond the ends of said body element and engageable in said lug recesses, said stud members being further in snug peripheral engagement in said lug recesses whereby radial play between the studs and lugs is minimized, means for retaining said stud member body portions in said body element while permitting reciprocation of said stud members, means disposed within the periphery of said body portions engageable with a pointed instrument and slot means overlying said means disposed within said periphery and located adjacent at least one end of said body element whereby said stud members may be retracted from engaged positions with said lug recesses.

2. In combination with a pair of relatively spaced lugs having in confronting faces thereof relatively axially aligned recesses extending partially through said lugs comprising a body element having slot means adjacent the ends thereof and said body element extending axially between and into substantial abutting relation with said lugs, said body element having tubular end. portions, stud members having body portions slidable within said tubular end portions, springs engaging said body portion for extending the studs beyond the ends of the body element into engagement with said lug recesses, integral portions of said tubular end portions deformed to positions engageable with said body portions during reciprocation thereof for defining and limiting the degree of reciprocation of the stud members, and said body portions having therein recesses adjacent the ends thereof engageable through said slot means with a pointed instrument whereby the stud member may be retracted from engaged positions in said lug recesses.

3. In combination with a pair of relatively spaced lugs having in confronting faces thereof relatively axially aligned recesses extending partially through said lugs comprising a body element extending axially between and into substantial abutting relation with said lug faces, said body element having tubular end portions, stud members having body portions slidable within said tubular end portions, springs engaging said body portions for extending the studs beyond the ends of the body element into engagement with said lug recesses, said body portions having therein relatively spaced peripheral grooves, integral portions of said tubular end portions deformed to enter one of said peripheral groove and engageable with sides thereof during reciprocation of the body portions for defining the limits of reciprocation of the stud members, and said tubular portions having slots adjacent the ends thereof through which a pointed instrument may be inserted into the other of said peripheral grooves whereby said stud members may be retracted from engaged positions in said lug recesses.

4. In combination, a pair of relatively spaced lugs having in confronting faces thereof relatively axially aligned substantially cylindrical recesses extending into said lugs, and a pintle for positioning between said lugs comprising a body element extending axially between said lugs and possessing an overall length providing minimized clearance between the ends of the body element and the adjacent faces of the lugs, reciprocable springpressed stud members having body portions movable within said body element, said stud members being extended beyond the ends of the body ele ment and engageable in said lug recesses, said stud members further having a cross-sectional form permitting entry of the studs into the recesses with minimized radial clearance, and a plurality of slots disposed adjacent the ends of said body element for engagement by a pointed instrument and for effecting movement of the body portions to disengage said studs from the lug recesses. 

